pixated parcels
In partnership with Julie Chen and Megan Clevenger
An exploration of modular housing through adaptable unit configurations, shared courtyards, and passive environmental performance.
Overview
Pixated Parcels explores modular housing through a system of pixelated volumes that create adaptable living environments for creative professionals. The project combines modular construction, passive environmental strategies, and flexible interior layouts to support a range of living and working lifestyles.The building is organized using a series of 15' × 15' × 11' modules that combine to form residences ranging from two to five modules in size. These aggregations define public, semi-private, and private courtyards while eliminating traditional interior corridors, reducing circulation space and providing each residence with a direct entrance.
The development offers studio through three-bedroom apartments, with unit sizes responding to the scale of each site. Every residence is delivered as a customizable shell, allowing occupants to select a floor plan that best suits their needs. A series of speculative layouts demonstrates the adaptability of the modular system and the variety of living arrangements it can accommodate.
Design
The site strategy places commercial spaces along the western edge of the largest parcel to establish a buffer between public streets and residential areas. Color is used as an architectural wayfinding system, identifying circulation paths throughout the development and extending onto building façades to express vertical movement and spatial organization.Constructed with cross-laminated timber (CLT) panels over a concrete parking podium, the project pairs modular construction with a durable material palette of fiber cement panels, thin brick, and corrugated metal, each corresponding to a different residential typology.
Passive environmental performance is integrated throughout the design. Concrete thermal walls moderate interior temperatures, while strategically positioned windows promote cross ventilation. Curved roof forms enhance stack ventilation by directing airflow through the buildings, reducing reliance on mechanical systems and creating comfortable interior environments.